Therapeutic communities for drug addicts: prediction of long-term outcomes

The study, conducted among 167 heroin addicts from three therapeutic communities (TCs) in Israel, examined their drug use 15 months after their departure from the community and the contribution of sociodemographic characteristics, time in community, psychopathology, self-esteem, and locus of control to successful outcome. The findings show that about half the clients were clean at follow-up, that over 90% of those who completed the program were clean, and that the longer the client stayed in the TC, the more likely he or she was to be clean later. Drug use at follow-up was positively associated with prior criminal activity and negatively associated with living with a partner before entering the TC. In addition, high self-esteem and an independent locus of control (not believing that one's life was controlled by powerful others) were also associated with being clean at follow-up.